Sheathed plug connector



Jan.27, 1953 W, J, CQYLE @625,978

SHEATHED PLUGv CONNECTOR Filed March 27, 1948 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 INVENTOR. WILL/4M C'oYLE,

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Patented Jan. 27, 1953 SHEATHED PLUG CONNECTOR William J. Coyle, Waltham, Mass., assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 27, 1948, Serial No. 17,545

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to electrical connectors such for example as are used for making electrical connection with the second anode terminal of a kinescope tube.

Many electrical discharge tubes such as cathode ray tubes are provided with one or more contact terminal unitsembedded in and sealed to the glass wall of the tube. These terminals are connected interiorly of the tube to a lead on the internal tube circuit and have a part exposed to the outside of the tube, for example a snap fastener socket unit for snap fastener engagement with a stud member connected to a suitable conductor. The present invention aims generally `to improve such connectors.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a connector of the type described that is easy to manufacture and assemble. A further object of the invention is to provide an easily manufactured and assembled connector that presents exterior surfaces devoid of sharp edges or points so as to reduce or eliminate the tendency for corona discharge in high voltage circuits. Other objects and features will be apparent from the description of the invention which follows.

Referring to the drawing in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. l is a fragmentary View of a portion of an electron discharge tube, for example, a kinescope tube showing one form of my improved connector, the parts thereof being shown in section to better illustrate the construction;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the electron discharge tube shown in Fig. 1 showing the socket unit of the connector;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the plug unit;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the plug unit with the stud portion and attaching ring shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the insulating sheath of the plug unit;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the metal sheath of the plug unit;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the stud member of the plug unit; and

Fig. 8 isa side elevation of the attaching ring of the plug unit.

Referring to the drawing, the tube I which `in illustrated form may be a kinescope tube is formed with the usual glass walls 2 having a socket terminal unit 3 sealed therein. The socket unit 3 projects into the interior `of the tube and is electrically connected to the internal circuit of the tube by a carbon lining 4 of the inner surface of the glass wall 2 which electrically engages the socket unit 3. The socket unit 3 is electrically7 connected to a circuit of the apparatus by a plug unit 5 which with the socket unit 3 forms the electrical connector to which the invention is particularly directed.

Referring to the socket unit of my improved connector I have illustrated in Fig. 1 a preferred -the bottom portion 8.

2 construction comprising a cup-shaped member 6 and a plate element 'I. The cup-shaped member 6 is preferably drawn from a piece of sheet metal and has a bottom portion 8 and side walls 9 extending outwardly from the bottom portion 8 in a direction laterally of the axis of the cupshaped member S. A flange element I0 is provided at the ends of the side walls 9 away from The flange IIJ extends inwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom portion Il and surrounds an opening II at the open side of the cup-shaped member 6 through which the conductor element of the plug unit 5 projects in electricalv connection of the parts. The plate element 'I is disposed at the open end of the cup-shaped member 6 and is clamped in firm electrical engagement with the cup-shaped member 6 between the ange I0 and the inner surface of the outwardly inclined side walls 9. The plate element I has an opening I2 disposed in alignment with the opening I I of the cup-shaped member 6 to receive the plug unit 5. The opening I2 of the plate I is formed `of a predetermined diameter whereby the walls I3 of the plate element surrounding the opening I2 electrically engage the plug unit 5 in the connection of the plug and socket units, 5 and 3 respectively, of the connector as will be hereinafter described.

Referring specifically to the plug unit 5, my preferred form includes a stud member I4 joined by a connecting ring I5 to a protective sheath I6 which is provided with an insulating covering I1. The stud member I4 is generally in the form 'of a vplug button having a head portion I8 with arcuate prongs I9 extending from adjacent the peripheral edge of the head portion I 8 in a direction generally normal to the plane thereof. The head portion I8 may generally be a circular disk with a lip 20 extending from the peripheral edge and lying adjacent one face of the disk. The arcuate prongs I9 extend from the free edge 2I of the lip 20 and have outwardly extending portions 22 adjacent the head portion I8 for engaging the inner walls I3 of the opening I2 of the plate element 1 of the socket unit 3 and have adjacent their outer ends inwardly extending portions 23 for engaging the bottom portion 8 of the socket unit 3 and providing camming surfaces 24. Substantially, in the center of the head portion I8 there is disposed a depression 25 extending in the same direction as the prongs I9 and provided with an aperture 26 at the base of the depression 25. A connecting wire 2'I coated with solder 28 may be inserted into the depression 25 through the aperture 26 and aixed by soldering.

The protective sheath I6 may generally be a metal tube having an annular flange 29 at one end. The protective sheath I6 is assembled to the stud member I4 by a ringmembe'r I5 comprising a disk 3|] with an aperture 3l through which the protective sheath I6 may pass and having an annular flange 32 extending generally axially from the peripheral edge of the disk 30 and preferably joined thereto by ronndedexterior n surfaces. In assembling the sheath I6 tc the stud member I4 the sheath'is vinserted through the aperture 3| in the disk 30 with the flange 29 on the tube I6 resting against the portions of the disk 30 adjacent the aperture13I-- f Ihenthe,head

I8 of the stud 'portion I4 is inserted within the annular flange 32 of the ring member I5 and the f flange 32 is crimped upon the lip 20 of the stud member I4. A lead wire 21 is assembled to the stud member by soldering it in the depression 25 in the head I8 with the wire 21 extending through the aperture 26 at the base of the depression 25.

The insulating sheath I'I which protects the operator from electrical shock in connecting or -'dis'connecting'the plug units 5 has a sleeve por- 3 the stud is moved into the opening of the sock'et unit 3. During this action the camming surfaces 24 of the arcuate prongs I9 will engage the edges I3 surrounding the opening I2 thereby contracting the prongs I9, In the finalV position of the stud the outer ends 35 of the arcuate prongs I9 abut the bottom of the cup-shaped member 6 to effect a wiping engagement between the ends of the arcuate prongs I9 and the inner surface of the bottom 8 of the cup-shaped member 3. At thesame time the outwardly inclined engaging surfaces 36 of the stud abut the edges I3 of the opening I2 under spring tension to make a good electrical engagement at those points. This double engagement between the plug and socket units results in a secure and efficient electrical connection.

It will be apparent to 'persons skilled in the art that the connector of the present invention is ex- -tremely simple in construction and economical in the' cost of manufacture. The provision'of a three part plug unit of easily manufactured parts is particularly advantageous both from the standpoint of manufacture as well as assembly.

Furthermore, as will be apparentpthe liability of corona discharge at the connector is reduced to a minimum. This is due to the fact that the exterior metal surfaces of the plug unit 5 may all be made rounded while the arcuate prongs 24 are contained within the socket unit 3, so that there will be no sharp points or edges on the exterior surface of the connector. The socket unit v3 provides a continuous conductingshield around the prongs 24 and the ring member'l 5 provides a continuous conducting shield around the head portion I8 of the stud member I4 and the annular flange 29 of the tubular member I6, thereby eliminating substantially any tendency of corona discharge o1' limiting substantially the extent of such corona discharge.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not Wish to be limited thereby as the scope of my invention is best described in the following claims. f

Iclaim: v 1. An electrical connector plug unit of the'type ,z 4 1; a' .1 Adescribed comprising a tubular protective sheath ,having an outwardly turned flange at one end, a one-'piece terminal member having a head por- Y tion provided with a central conductor core-receiving seat and an annular series of resilient bowed" contact -members arranged annularly aroundsaid seat in spaced relation thereto and disposed substantially normal to the head portion of said terminal inwardly of the marginal edge of said head, means encompassing the marginaledge of said head and flange of said sheath for connecting said terminal member and protective' sheath in assembled relation so that said sheath is coaxial with the core-receiving seat, -said assembled sheath and terminal adapted to have a conductor extended axially through the sheath and a bared terminal end thereof soldered vin the seat of said terminal, and a resilient insulating handle surrounding said plug unit and including a sleeve portion surrounding and connected to said protective sheath and an annular cup-shaped flange portion surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said plug contact member and adapted to make contact with a surface disposed in a plane of at least a part of a socket member to which said plug is attached.

2. An electrical connector plug unit of the type describe'dcomprising a tubular protective sheath, a one-piece terminal member having a head portion provided with a central forwardly extending conductor core-receiving seat and an annular series of resilient bowed contact members arranged annularly around said seat in spaced rel'atic'ui thereto and disposed substantially normal to the head portion of said terminal, means for connecting said terminal member and protective sheath in assembled relation so that said sheath is coaxial with the core-receiving seat, said assembled sheath and terminal adapted to have a conductor extended axially through the sheath and a bared terminal end thereof soldered in the seat of said terminal, and a resilient insulating handle surrounding said plug unit and including a sleeve portion surrounding and connected to said protective sheath and an annular cup-shaped flange portion surrounding and spaced radially outwardly of said plug contact member and adapted to make contact with a surface disposed in a plane of at least a part of a socket member to which said plug is attached. WILLIAM J. COYLE.

REFERENCES CITED yThe following references are of record in the le of thisypatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number' Name Date 381,935 Kraetzer May 1, 1888 591,989 Murphy Oct. 19, 1897 1,509,224 Berthold Sept. 23, 1924 2,125,843 NHall Aug.'2, 1938 2,155,240 De Reamer Apr. 18, 1939 2,163,902 Wertzheiser June 27, 1939 2,255,553 Funk Sept. 9,1941 2,367,512 V`MacFadden Jan. 16, l1945 2,404,176 Huelster July 16, 1946 2,448,509 Anthony, Jr Sept. 7, 1948 2,499,834 Phelps Mar. 7, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES Allen Abstract of application Serial Number 548,121, filed August 4, 1944, published in 628 O. G. 559, November 8, 1949. 

